BRISTOL — The Town of Bristol has filed a federal lawsuit seeking the release of the most recent inspection report for the Mount Hope Bridge, arguing the document has been improperly withheld from the public.

The complaint, filed Thursday in the United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island, names the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA) as defendants.

Town officials say the report is a routine safety inspection of the nearly century-old bridge connecting Bristol County and Aquidneck Island and should be available under state and federal public records laws.

In the lawsuit, Bristol argues that both agencies have unlawfully withheld the document despite repeated requests.

The dispute began last fall after the town sought information about the condition of the Mount Hope Bridge.

According to the complaint, Bristol submitted a request to RITBA on Oct. 2, 2025 under Rhode Island’s Access to Public Records Act seeking the most recent inspection report on the bridge’s structural condition.

The authority denied the request two weeks later.

In its response, the agency said the report could contain “sensitive security information,” a category of federal security material regulated by the TSA. Because of that possibility, the document had been sent to the TSA for review and possible redaction before any public release.

The authority also cited exemptions in Rhode Island’s public records law that it said justified withholding the report.

Bristol appealed the denial to the Rhode Island attorney general’s office, which upheld the agency’s decision in January.

Town officials argue that ruling was incorrect.

Town turns to federal court

After learning the inspection report had been sent to the TSA, Bristol filed a federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request with the agency on Jan. 30 seeking a copy of the same document.

Under federal law, agencies must respond to such requests within 20 business days. But according to the complaint, more than 20 business days passed without any determination, records produced or extension requested. The town says that failure violated the FOIA.

At the center of the lawsuit is whether the bridge inspection report actually qualifies as sensitive security information.

The town argues it does not.

According to the complaint, TSA guidance indicates that routine infrastructure safety inspections generally are not considered security-sensitive information.

Bristol also points to a recent precedent: after the closure of the Washington Bridge in 2023, the Rhode Island Department of Transportation publicly released a roughly 300-page inspection report detailing the condition of that structure.

Town officials argue the Mount Hope Bridge report should be treated the same way.

What the town is seeking

The lawsuit asks a judge to declare that both agencies violated public records laws and to order the release of the inspection report.

Specifically, the town is seeking a court order requiring the TSA to search for and produce the requested records and directing RITBA to disclose the report under Rhode Island’s public records statute. The town is also seeking reimbursement for legal fees and litigation costs.

For Bristol officials, the case centers on transparency and public safety surrounding a key transportation link. “The record sought in this matter is not exempt,” the complaint states, arguing the report relates to routine bridge safety inspections rather than security measures.